PMO Panel On Delhi Air Quality Reviews Crop Burning Options

With the Sri Lankan cricket team’s dramatic protest against playing conditions highlighting the mounting embarrassment over Delhi’s pollution, a PMO-headed panel met on Monday and reviewed the need for more accurate real-time monitoring of air quality and measures to control stubble burning.

The monitoring of air quality and pollutants was considered necessary so that the sources of Delhi’s bad air could be mapped and understood, and medium-term solutions devised. There has been considerable discussion on the role of vehicular emissions, dust, local coal fires and stubble burning in raising air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.

The panel, headed by Nripendra Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, held its first meeting on Monday. The committee, which draws representatives from the Centre and neighbouring states including the Delhi government, saw Punjab suggesting stronger financial incentives for farmers not to burn stubble. Read More…